84 



FOODS AND FOOD ADULTERANTS. 



one to separate the good from the indifferent and poor samples, and in this way the 

 good samples may, unless there be some reason for a full analysis such, for instance, 

 as unusual richness, averages, &c. be passed on inspection. More than half of the 

 samples submitted to me were good samples, and of the whole n umber 569 were 

 passed as above, leaving 1,190 which were subjected to analysis. Of these latter 

 there were 391 which were above, and 7 ( J9 which were below, the statute standard. 



Considering as above the standard the 569 samples which were passed on inspec- 

 tion, we have 960 above and 799 below, which is a very decided improvement over 

 the milk supply of a year ago. A large proportion of those below the standard were 

 not what would be considered as of very inferior quality ; nearly one-half of those 

 below the standard of 13 per cent, of solids were above 12 per cent., which fact of 

 itself is evidence of a great improvement in the general supply. 



Dr. E. W. Martin J has made a thorough study of milk adulteration, 

 of which I give the following abstract : 



Having made from time to time analyses of milk from cows of all breeds and kept 

 under all conditions, of various ages, and at different times of the year, I found the 

 percentage of the maximum, minimum, and average constituents to bo : 



Of the minimum amount of fat given above, only three cows were found giving 

 milk so poor in fat, and their food and surroundings were of the poorest kind. 



During the year 1883 1 made many analyses of milk taken from the cans while being 

 shipped to market, and the average percentage of the constituents of the samples 

 taken were : 



From the foregoing results it is fair to assume that in average milk we should have 

 at least 3 per cent, of fat, 9.2 per cent, of solids not fat, and 12.2 per cent, of total solids. 



The State Board of Health of New Jersey have fixed the minimum amount ot total 

 solids at 12 per cent, and the maximum amount of water at 88 per cent. 



In Massachusetts the law fixes a chemical standard of purity; it reads : "Inal 

 cases of prosecution, if the milk shall be shown upon analysis to contain more than 

 87 per cent, of water or to contain less than 13 per cent, of milk solids it shall bo 

 deemed for the purpose of this act to be adulterated." 



This standard has been fixed from analyses by Sharpies, Babcock, and others, as 

 follows : 



i Fourth Ann. Rept. N, Y, 8. Bd, of Health, pp. 429 et eeq. 



